Monday, January 23, 2012

Hello my raviolis. When Grampy and I visited the Aurora Colorado raviolis we had pizza from called Papa Murphy's. What makes this pizza chain unique is that they do not bake the pizza, they just prepare it for you to take home and bake completely there. One of the unbaked pies they brought home was something called a Mediterranean Pizza and as the pie was baking it smelled exactly like the pies we would get in Vincenza, Italy. When they took it out of the oven I saw it was filled with sun dried tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese and garlic and oil on a crisp crust.

This pizza is so good and is light and easy to make. About 180 calories per slice (6" by 6"). I made this for grampy and he loved it. Below are the ingredients you will need.

Ingredients:

Pillsbury's refrigerated thin crust pizza dough

Jar of sun dried tomatoes...sun dried Brushetta works well too

Container of Feta cheese

crushed garlic

fresh baby spinach

olive oil

Mrs. Dash Italian seasonings (mostly greens)

shredded Mozzarella

some breadcrumbs or corn meal

PREHEAT Oven to 375 degrees

Roll out the dough to fit the entire cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil and then spread the crushed garlic all over the dough.

Spread the sun dried tomatoes and sprinkle the herbs all over the dough.

Now add fresh spinach to your taste.
I actually double the amount you see here.

Cover pie with the feta cheese and sprinkle a little bit of the shredded mozzarella (less then 1/2 cup).Now bake for about 15 minutes.

This pizza is so easy to make and very tasty. I hope you enjoy making it my raviolis. Grandma-ma loves you all.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Hello my raviolis. It's a new year and 2012 is a special year. Can you guess what makes 2012 special? What makes 2012 special is that it is a leap year. A leap year or intercalary or bissextile year is a year containing one extra day. This day falls on February 29th which gives an extra day making a total of 366 days for 2012.

The Mayan Calender has leap year days inserted into it.

This type of calendar is a solar calender. It is based on the period of revolution of the Earth around the sun, which is approx. 365 days.

A lunar calender is based on the phases of the moon.

The lunar calendar, used by the Muslims and the Incas, is based on the moon's cycles. This type of calendar is based on the periodical cycles of the moon around the Earth, with each month lasting about 29 or 30 days.

Lunar - solar calendar.

This type of calendar features lunar months in to a solar year. The luni-solar year starts the new moon after the spring equinox. Normal luni-solar years have 12 months in a year. Luni-Solar Calendars are used by the Mongol Empire, which emphasizes balance and harmony between the sun ("Yang") and the moon ("Yin"). Also the Coptic, African, and the Aramaic Christians use the luni-solar calendar, so do the Jews. Luni-solar calendars are also of great popularity among astronomers over the world, as they claim that this calendar type helps them calculate new moons, and when to hold seasonal events.

No matter what calendar you use, remember that you have an extra day of fun this year which also means I have one more day this year to love you all.

Why Raviolis?

I have always called my grand-daughter my little, three cheese ravioli (EIGHT cheese now, as she has requested upon turning eight). More raviolis are showing up much to my delight and joy. When asked why I call my grandchildren raviolis, I say it is because they are little hot pockets of goodness...just like raviolis. And everybody loves raviolis!

Raviolis for lunch is for my grandchildren

and I miss you all. This blog is created for each and every one of you, my little raviolis. This is grandma-ma's way of saying that she loves you and misses you and until I can squeeze the little hot pockets of goodness out of you when I see you next, perhaps you will stop by this blog created just for you. Hugs and kisses and lots of giggles to all of you...with loads of love - Grandma-ma.

Our furry, scaly, slimy, and feathered family

Meet them all and say good boy or sweet girl.

Kota

belonged to Grandma-ma and is Heaven with Grampy and Peaches.

Peaches

belonged to Aunt Renee and is in heaven.

Squirt

belongs to Lili, Owen, Caleb, Cristi and Aaron who live in Aurora

The twin tree frogs

who live in Grandma-ma's and Grampy's baby pool

Diesel

belongs to Kaitlyn, Connor, & Kelsey and lives in New York

Madison

belongs to Kaitlyn, Connor, and Kelsey

Lavender and Sunshine

belong to Caleb, Owen and Lili in Aurora, CO

The twin lizards

that live on Grandma-ma's & Grampy's screen door

Sushi

belongs to Grandma-ma and loves to swim in a pretty tank on her shelf at work.